The Playtime Adventures of Nick and Ellie Lucas
by Eryn Goldbergg
Summary: JONAS. Nicholas Lucas the II and Ellie Lucas the first are bored nearly every other day when Daddy's out playing music and Mommy's out. So there's only one thing to do. Play.
1. Chapter 1

Nicholas Lucas, Jr. and his younger sister, Ellie, were up to no good.

"Don't worry, Ellie," 5 year old Nicholas patted his little sister on the back. "This'll work."

"No, it won't." Ellie shook her head.

"Yeah, it will."

"No, it won't."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"DAD—"

Ellie was silenced as Nicholas's hand clamped over her mouth. Using the only defense tactic she could think of, she licked the palm of her brother's hand.

"Gross, Ellie!" Nicholas wiped his hand on his Superman cape. " Now, shhh. Don't call Dad. We'll get in trouble."

Ellie gasped. She'd never gotten in trouble with Daddy before. Well, not _real _trouble. There was the one time she stepped on his guitar, and he gave her that _look. _And then there was the other time when she pulled on Mommy's hair by _total accident_, and he made her sit in the corner. But she had never called it _trouble_ before. Plus, Nicholas was older than her. She was only 4. And if Nick said they would get in trouble, they would get in TROUBLE.

"Oh. Ok." Ellie readjusted her princess tiara, okay with being quiet for a while. "Now, what do I do again."

"You have to climb up in the treehouse, and then I come and save you," Nicholas rolled his eyes, savoring the "duh" moment. Usually, he was the one asking the questions all the time.

"But the _prince _saves the princess, not Superman," Ellie wrinkled her little nose, eyeing her brother with slight suspicion. She didn't like this game one bit.

"Well, now it's Superman's turn," Nicholas stuck out his bottom lip, signifying the end of the conversation. Ellie sighed, unsatisfied, and looked out the bedroom window at the treehouse.

"But it's so far," Ellie whined. "And Mommy's not here. Or Daddy. And Daddy says that—"

"Mommy's upstairs. It's two with a three and a five at the end," Nicholas pointed at the clock. "If we're not back home before two with a four and a zero at the end, then Mommy will notice. Or Daddy. Or Uncle Joe."

"Uncle Joe's here?" Ellie's nose wrinkled. Uncle Joe was gross. He burped and stuff, and watched TV all day. But not good TV, like Word Girl or Dora or something. According to Mommy, it was bad TV because all the boys did was throw each other around and hit each other in the faces. Of course, Mommy did a lot of the same things, like kick balls at nets and swim in the pool and stuff, but when Mommy says bad TV, it's bad TV.

"I dunno. But he always comes when we're having fun." Nicholas stuck out his bottom lip again, forbidding Ellie to continue on with the subject.

"Well, can we play already?" Ellie pouted. Nicholas sighed with relief. Finally, his little sister was ready to play the game he had wanted to play for so long. Well, he wanted to play by himself, because it was his idea, but then Ellie came in and ruined the whole thing.

"Okay. Go first." Nicholas looked for somewhere to sit, avoiding the pink princess furniture.

"Okay, I'm a princess!" Ellie started running at amazing speed through the house, hoping that the treehouse was nearby. Her little legs could only take her so far, and she hadn't eaten her snack yet. She figured a short detour to the kitchen wouldn't cause any problems, as long as there were chocolate cookies there.

Quickly, she skidded to a stop on her socks and turned towards the kitchen. Suddenly, as she was standing on her tippy-toes to reach the cookies, she was aware of two shadows looming over her. Ellie turned. Uncle Kevin and Uncle Joe stood over her, with raised eyebrows. She gulped. Cornered.

"Well, what do we have here?" Uncle Joe laughed, and snatched the cookie jar just out of her reach. Ellie pouted. So mean.

"Oh, come on, Joe, give her back her cookies," Uncle Kevin snatched the cookie jar back.

"Nope, not until she tells us why she's in here," Uncle Joe took the cookies right back.

"This is my house." Ellie stomped her foot. "I'm allowed."

"Oh, my God, it's Nick as a girl," Uncle Joe laughed.

"Give the cookies BACK!" Uncle Kevin took the cookies and ran away to living room with them, while Uncle Joe followed close behind.

While they were preoccupied, Ellie started running again, towards the front door. Suddenly, the door opened, and a tall figure stopped her from making it to her treehouse.

"Daddy, I have to—" Ellie tried to wrestle out of Nick's grasp, but couldn't.

"Not until you tell me where you're going," Strong arms hoisted her way above her dad's head, twirling her around and around.

"Stop, stop!" Ellie said, laughing. "Put me…put me DOWN!"

"Okay, fine."

Ellie sighed with relief as her feet touched the ground again. Knowing what her dad was going to ask next, she tried to change the subject.

"Look, I'm wearing my giraffe socks." Ellie wiggled her toes. Daddy wouldn't laugh. Darn.

"Where. Were. You. Going." Nick raised his eyebrows on the last word, signaling he wasn't that mad. Ellie sighed again. Good. At least he wasn't giving her that look again.

"To the treehouse." She said weakly, forcing a tear to fall out of her eye(for added cuteness). Nick's face softened. He kneeled down to her level.

"Why?"

"Because—because I—it was Nick's fault!"

Nick rolled his eyes(he knew this was coming), and stood up. Ellie gulped. There was only one thing left that Daddy could do.

Call Mommy.

Nick walked upstairs, and Ellie watched with wide brown eyes as he knocked on the bedroom door.

"Macy," Nick said, after the door opened a crack, "We have a situation."


	2. Chapter 2

"**Peanut butter beats jelly,"**

Nicholas Lucas II told Ellie patiently, but sternly.

Slowly, he handed his four year old sister the jar of Smucker's Goober Grape(it was his favorite because it had peanut butter _and _jelly in the same jar).

"So, wait!" Ellie huffed, crinkling her nose. She stood on her tippy toes so she could look over the counter. "What do I do?"

Nicholas rolled his eyes. Only his little sister could be confused over a simple game.

"You close your eyes and put your finger in, and then look at what comes out. Peanut butter beats jelly,"

Ellie's nose wrinkled for a second time.

Put her finger in the jar? Without washing her hands? That would be breaking a rule. And whenever Ellie broke a rule, she always had to sit in the corner on that stupid, hard, scratchy mat and watch everyone else have fun. And most of the time it wasn't even her fault!

There was the one time her older brother made her lick a potato covered in whipped cream(it didn't taste good). And then Aunt Stella walked by and just stared at her. "Um, Nick?" Aunt Stella had said. "Ellie's licking a potato." So Ellie had to sit in the corner with strict instructions from her mom to "not lick or eat raw vegetables with condiments on them", whatever that meant.

And the other time when they were at the zoo and Uncle Joe started imitating a monkey and then Ellie said something "very inappropriate" about monkeys throwing poo. Except she didn't say poo. She said a really bad word and then she got talked to by Daddy. Rather loudly, she might add.

So why would this time be any different? Nick would point at her and say it was her fault and then Daddy would look all disappointed and make her take a bath. Maybe even two.

Sighing, Ellie looked around. No Mommy. No Daddy. Not even Uncle Joe. Well, maybe she could—

"Oh, no!" Nicholas cried. "Mommy's coming,"

"Hide the peanut butter!" Ellie panicked. Suddenly, she felt something cold slide down her shirt.

"Just keep it under your shirt until Mommy's gone,"

Ellie nodded and did her best to act natural. She draped one arm over the other, the right arm clutching the peanut butter under her shirt, crossed her legs casually, and slid down to the floor. Then the finale: she beamed, the air whistling through the spot where her front tooth used to be.

"Hey, guys," Macy put down the keys and opened her arms for a hug. Nicholas and Ellie stayed stiff as a board, Ellie looking as if she needed to pee. One brown eyebrow raised in a dangerous arch as their mommy noticed the peanut butter jar shaped lump under Ellie's pink T-shirt.

"Ellie," Macy warned dangerously. Ellie stood up quickly, ready to apologize. The jar flew from under her shirt and shattered into a bazillion pieces on the hardwood floor. Nicholas's jaw practically unhinged.

"Sorry," Ellie whispered.

"SHIT!" Macy screamed. Her hands flew to her mouth immediately.

"Mommy!" Ellie scolded. "You're not supposed to use that wor—"

"Could you guys please be quiet? I'm trying to write a so—" Nick cried, walking from the living room. "—ong. Oh, my God," Their father's eyes widened as he took in the huge mess. "What—**Ellie**."

"It's not me!" Ellie stuttered, her eyes filled with tears. "It wasn't my fault!"

She ran over to Nick and grasped his leg tightly, sobbing into the denim that clothed his leg. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Daddy,"

***

After the last of the glass was finally swept up and thrown away, a small family meeting was arranged.

Ellie shifted uncomfortably in her seat—if you could call it a seat. Because the booster was all the way upstairs, she was sitting on two thick phonebooks. She was pretty sure all the complicated numbers would be imprinted on her skirt by the time Daddy was finished talking.

Meanwhile, Nicholas was rolling his big brown eyes all over the place, purposely ignoring his father's short speech on being careful, and absentmindedly petting Elvis under the table.

"…and that's why you shouldn't have done that." Nick finally finished, noticing his daughter's uncomfortable position. He lifted her into his lap, where she was much more comfortable.

The silence made Ellie feel uneasy. She knew what was coming next.

"So," Macy said, sort of smirking, "whose grand idea was this, anyway?"


	3. Chapter 3

_**Before you kill me: this is super short, okay? This is just an appetizer to tide you over till the real chapter.**_

_**Between Ellie and Nicholas, Ellie's my favorite. :)**_

"Eleanor Grace Lucas, put that _thing _down right now,"

Ellie gasped, dropping the can opener at her feet. "Sorry,"

Nick Lucas rolled his eyes. The response was heard every day. At least 15 times a day. Whenever his daughter dropped something: "Sorry.". Whenever his brother, Joe, broke something: "Sorry, dude." Whenever his wife "accidentally" spilled something on him: "SORRY!"

The word was cursed.

No, he was cursed. Cursed with the inability to stay strong when Ellie shifted her big brown eyes upwards and stuck out her bottom lip. Cursed with an unfortunate tendency to melt like wax when his son said, "I'm super, super, sorry.".

Cursed. Period.

"Well, can you at least put it back in the drawer where you found it?" Nick growled slightly, picking up the household appliance and flinging it into a random drawer.

Ellie, who had noticed her dad's tone, shifted from one foot to the other. "Mommy says, you, you—"—Ellie tripped over her own words, she hated asking her dad this—"—you have to give me a bath because she's tired."

"Oh," Nick sighed, "okay, then. Well, I guess I might as well give Nicholas a bath at the same time—"

"Ooh!" Ellie jumped up in the air, one hand raised above her head. She bounced up and down on her toes with her tongue lodged in position at the side of her mouth. "Pick me!"

"Yes, Ellie?" Nick said, exasperated.

"And—and, and—Mommy says we can have buffles." Ellie blinked, expecting a minor explosion from her father. Bubble bath was not an easy thing to deal with. Especially when Nicholas kept slipping on it. Instead, Nick took deep, calming breaths and sat down cross-legged on the kitchen floor, his eyes boring into Ellie's.

Ellie whimpered slightly and backed away from him, her small back hitting the low kitchen cupboard.

She watched in horror as her dad's face turned slightly red. His eyeball twitched.

"Buffles?" He said quietly, his face breaking into a smile. "Eleanor Grace, what are buffles?"

Ellie, no longer afraid, huffed and crossed her arms. "You know, like soap. Buffles."

Her daddy contorted into a tiny ball and Ellie became instantly terrified once again. She tiptoed around his body and looked at his face.

Daddy was crying. And laughing super hard at the same time. Ellie remembered doing that once. When she hit her funny bone on the table. She was laughing really loud, but sobbing at the same time. And it wasn't fun. So why was Daddy looking like he was being tickled?

"D-daddy?" Ellie tilted her head slightly, hoping to catch his attention. It was just like that Discovery Channel episode she saw. Walk to the animal with caution…(whatever caution meant.)

Nick, seeing Ellie's worried face, uncurled and sat up, still laughing.

"Baby, come here," Nick held his arms out and Ellie shifted towards him, uncertain.

He enveloped her in an embrace, still cracking up.

"What are you laughing about?"

"It's bubbles, princess." Nick laughed into his daughter's hair. "Bubbles."


	4. Chapter 4

_**This is still Playtime Adventures, it's just I'm taking a break from the young stuff and putting them in a little older. The next chapter will be kid stuff, then the next older, you know how it goes. :)**_

_**Enjoy!**_

"Can't talk, I'm late!" 13 year old Ellie Lucas dashed past her older brother.

"Late for what?" Nicholas Lucas the Second's eyebrows furrowed. Um…was he the only one in the family that realized that summer vacation wasn't for work?

"Noah's party," Ellie skidded to a stop and turned to her brother. "I think he likes me,"

"Who the heck would like you?" Nicholas laughed, dropping his spoon into his cereal. "Dude, you're so ugly, you went to an ugly contest and—"

"Shut the fuc—"

"Hey!" Their mom, Macy Lucas, looked up from the magazine she was reading. "Language, Eleanor."

Ellie rolled her eyes. Seriously, was their mother _aware _of the things she and Nick(the second) joked about? Ellie and her brother were probably the only two people in the family that used the "f word" as a verb. And a noun. And an adjective.

"Chill, Macy—Mom," Nicholas propped his bare feet up on the dining room table, then removed them due to the look he received. "Enjoy life, mother dearest."

"Mmmhmm," Macy rolled her eyes. "Enjoy life. I will definitely keep that in mind."

Nicholas stood up and wrapped his arms around his mother's waist from behind.

"You know you love me, Mommy," he said, nuzzling his face in her hair.

"Stop," Macy pushed her son away, laughing, and tried to focus on the October issue of InStyle. "I'm trying to read,"

"Mom, I'm leaving now," Ellie pulled on her dark brown side ponytail. She reached over the marble island with slightly puckered lips and air-kissed her mom's cheek. "Bye, Mom. Bye…it."

"Oh, ha, ha, ha," Nicholas jumped up and followed his younger sister to the door. "You're so funny. NOT. BTW, _Eleanor, _your ponytail's lopsided—"

"Shut up, Nick," Ellie's middle finger flew up out of her clenched fist and nearly poked Nicholas in the eye. She received _two _middle fingers in return, both courtesy of her immature brother.

"You are so immature," Ellie slammed the door.

"Wait, how are you going to get there?" Macy called after her daughter, finally snapping out of it.

The door swung back open and Ellie poked her head back in, chocolate brown eyes wide.

"I'm going to the studio to meet Dad, and then he'll drive me there. Duh."

"Duh." Nicholas mocked, only to have the door slammed in his face a second time.

"Well," Nicholas sunk to the floor. "at least we can have some peace and quiet."

"Yeah….head upstairs, mister." Macy called from the kitchen. Rolling his eyes once again, Nicholas bounded up the stairs, humming a parody of a JONAS song the whole time.

***

"I'm here!" Ellie squeal-called through the slightly open door to the recording studio. 33 year old Nick Lucas turned his head. His daughter was exactly one to make a quiet entrance.

"Ellie, shh…" Nick's eyes darted around quickly. "This is a _recording _studio."

Ellie's hand shot up to her mouth and she giggled. "Sorry. Hey, I need a ride—"

"ELLLAYYY!" Joe cried from the L shaped couch. Upon receiving a glare from Nick, his voice dropped to a whisper. "Ellllaayyyyyy…"

"Hey," Ellie gave a small wave in return to her uncle's outburst and then turned to the recording booth, where 24 year old Frankie was perched on a stool.

"Testing…testing….one, two, three…donuts, muffins, oh, God, I'm hungr—"

"Dude, sound check's over," Nick pounded on the glass window and Frankie jumped off the stool. "Ashley'll come back any minute to record, and I'm supposed to be getting the track ready for vocals."

"Is that my biz-natch Ellie over there?" Frankie carefully avoided the full use of the nickname he had given his niece around Nick.

"Hey, Uncle Frankie." Ellie rolled her eyes. Uncle Frankie and Uncle Kevin were exactly the same. Down to the last random outburst. "Dad, I need a ride,"

"To where?" Nick said, eyes on the various volume and pitch knobs on the soundboard. "Home?"

"Nooo…" Ellie, knowing that this was going to be a very hard question to ask, placed a manicured hand on her father's broad shoulder. "Noah's house. For a birthday party."

She fought the urge to tag a "duh" on the end. If she did, it was probably less likely that her dad would say yes.

Silently, Ellie mouthed the words yes in her mind, hoping somehow that these thoughts would transfer over the mind waves into her dad's brain.

"No." Nick laughed. "Certainly not."

"Oh, come on!" Ellie whined. "You always tell me to go out and meet new friends!"

"Yeah!" Kevin cried, not sure what he was agreeing to. He received a prompt slap from both Joe and Frankie.

Ellie rocked back on the rubber heels of her purple Converse and clasped her hands together. "Pleeeeeassseee,"

When Nick didn't budge, Ellie hung her head in shame.

"Well," she sighed heavily. "I guess I'll be known as the girl who didn't go. And when Kate and Bree ask me, 'OMG, Ellie, why didn't you go?', I'll look down in shame and say, 'My dad wouldn't drive me'. And I'll be forced to wear orthopedic shoes."

Nick laughed.

Noticing her strategy wasn't working, Ellie stuck her hip out and folded her arms.

"I'll cry." She warned, her tear ducts already attempting to squeeze out some tears.

"Go ahead," Nick replied in the same tone of voice. "But do it over there, I don't want any water near the soundboard."

"Oh, you're so hilarious," Ellie commented dryly. She turned to her uncles for help. "Uncle Joe. Uncle Frankie. Uncle Kevin. Don't you think I should be allowed to go?"

"She's right, Nick," Joe shrugged. "It's just a guy. What'll she do, get pregnant like Macy—"

"What Joe is _trying _to say, Nick," Kevin roped a hand around his youngest brother's shoulder. "Ellie's 13. She's old enough to handle a simple birthday party."

"The guy is 13 and has a tattoo," Nick raised an eyebrow. Kevin shaped his mouth into an "O" and sat back down. His arm dropped off of Nick's shoulder like over boiled spaghetti.

"You never told me he had a tattoo!" he cried when Ellie shot him a look.

"Bro," Frankie shrugged his shoulders. "You don't have anything to do. We'll handle Ashley when she gets here to record. What would you rather do, sit up in here with some boring popstar(that obviously has a crush on you), or go out there and drive your daughter to her first—"

"Second," Ellie corrected, then bit her lip.

"Second co-ed birthday party," Frankie corrected. "Well, which one?"

After a long stare down, Nick huffed and grabbed the car keys. "Oh, fine, let's go,"


	5. Chapter 5

They had escaped.

"Nicholas and Ellie Lucas, come back here now!" Macy ran after her two squealing, wet, naked children.

"Run, Ellie, run!" Nicholas dragged his sister towards the bedroom. "Or she's gonna wash our hair!"

"I don't want to wash my hair!" Ellie whined, slipping on the hardwood floor. Her 6 year old brother caught her by her arm to stop her from hitting the floor.

Nicholas turned back quickly and saw their mother advancing towards them quickly, like he had suspected. What else should you expect when your mom's a star athlete?

"Faster!" Nicholas screamed, giving up and picking up his sister as best as he could. Her feet were dragging on the floor, but at least they were going faster than before.

"I hate bath time…." Ellie whined. So, what? You throw yourself into a mud puddle and all of a sudden you have to take a bath and wash your hair?

"You're taking another bath when I catch you," Macy was only three paces behind them.

_When, not if_, Nicholas panicked to himself. "Quick, Ellie, go in your room! I'll take a bath for you!"

"Okay…" Ellie said, unsure. Nicholas let go of her and Ellie ran into her room and slammed the door.

"Yes," Ellie sank down to the floor with a hiss of victory. Suddenly, her face fell. Two bare feet on her carpet. She looked up, following the legs up until the torso, then up to the…face. Her daddy's face.

"Gotcha," Nick smirked.

!PLAYTIMEPLAYTIMEPLAYTIMEPLAYTIMEPLAYTIME!

Grumbling and kicking, Ellie was carried out of the bathroom by Nick. Comb marks decorated her dark brown hair and she was wrapped in a towel.

"I don't wanna get dressed,"

"You don't have to." Nick set her down on her bed next to Nicholas, who was already dressed.

"I don't?" Ellie wrinkled her nose suspiciously.

"Nope," Nick shrugged. "You can just go to the recording studio with me naked."

Nicholas cracked up and fell off the bed. He rubbed his head, and then started laughing again.

Ellie weighed her options. Go to the recording studio fancy free sounded fine, but then everyone would laugh at her. And she hated it when she didn't get jokes. Or…she could get dressed. But then she would be letting Daddy have his way. And Daddy _always _got his way. The decision was a tough one.

"Do I get to pick my clothes?"

Nick leaned against the wall and bit his lip, weighing _his _options. "Fine."

Ellie stuck out a hand. "Shake on it?"

"Shake on it."

"Done."

"Done."


	6. Chapter 6

_**Author's Note: We're going back to when the kids are older now. This chapter, once again, mainly focuses on Ellie. The next chapter will be mostly Nick, I promise. :)**_

_**Read and review!**_

"Dad," Ellie said in a specially-designed tone of voice. She had been working on the tone for months, and today was the day when she was finally going to get to use it: two weeks before her 14th birthday. She must admit, her formula was brilliant. A touch of sweetness, a dash of insecurity and firmness, and a whole boatload of butt-kissing. Though Ellie couldn't take _all _the credit. It was a simple technique, really.

Her father, Nick Lucas, looked up from his guitar and set it down. _Perfect, _Ellie thought to herself, _I've got full eye contact. _She lowered her gold-dusted eyelids slightly.

"I'm terribly disappointed," Ellie cried dramatically, then lifted her eyes slightly to see her dad's reaction. A concerned look.

The trap was falling into place.

Ellie took the look on his face as a signal to continue and she began pacing. _Pacing says: "I've been thinking about this all night", _Ellie reminded herself_._ The rubber soles of her high tops squeaked against the hardwood floor of the sunroom, and Ellie, knowing that her dad hated loud noises, stopped pacing immediately and searched for an alternative. She rocked back on her heels. _Rocking says, "I'm so embarrassed to have to ask you this."_

"All my friends are disappointed in me, and I'm afraid that my self esteem is dropping lower and lower by the—" perhaps showcase her brilliance in math? "—nano second." Ellie ran her slender fingers through her dark brown hair—that said she was hurt—"They've all been neglecting me. Because they think I've been neglecting them. Which, I must admit, I sort of have."

"Well," Nick leaned forward in his chair. Ellie panicked. This wasn't in her mental blueprint! Ellie decided to fast forward through her slight monologue.

"Unless…" Ellie allowed her caramel brown eyes to brighten a bit—a definite show of hope—"oh, never mind." She sighed loudly and flopped into the chair, head hanging down. _Disappointment._

"No, what is it?" Nick asked, slightly amused. _Well, I'm certainly glad you asked._

"Well, it's—oh, never—oh, fine." Ellie forced her cheeks to redden a bit so that she looked bashful. "it's a little idea of mine. I don't think it will ever work."

"We might as well give it a shot, right?" Her dad was smirking now. Definitely a problem. Ellie remained in character.

"I was wondering if, maybe—just maybe—I could have a birthday party." Ellie brightened. "After all, I didn't have one last year." Firm reason number one. She was coasting through this. "and it would be a great chance for my friends to see how much I appreciate them." Firm reason number two.

Ellie corrected herself. "Of course, I know from your teachings, Daddy, that I never need friends to be happy. But this is for me to meet some more people. So _I _can be happy."

Nick's eyebrow arched. "So you're going to ask people you don't know?"

"No, of course not," Ellie said hastily. "I know them vaguely, from school, of course, but I haven't gotten a real chance to get to know them. And I think that I nice, calm, boy-girl party would be the perfect way to do this."

Ellie sat back with her hands clasped. "And I totally respect your judgment on this," _Even though I can just ask Mom, because you, Father dearest, are WHIPPED._

Nick's smile broadened and he leaned back in his chair, absentmindedly plucking his guitar strings. "Hmm…" his eyes rolled up to the ceiling and back. "alright, sure."

Ellie fought the urge to squeal-gasp and squeeze her father into oblivion. Instead, she shuddered with pre-party excitement and allowed a huge grin to creep onto her face.

"Really?" she slapped a hand to her heart. "You would do that…for me?"

Nick chuckled. "Yes, honey…for you."

"Aww…" Ellie squealed and ran over to hug her dad. She ignored her brain's impulse to kiss him all over his head and scream "THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!"

After about two minutes of conditions and cheek-kisses(all received by Nick from Ellie), Ellie casually walked up the stairs and into her bedroom.

She closed the door.

And she started happy-dancing.


	7. Chapter 7

It was a well known fact in the inner circles of male society that a man that has the courage to dial the telephone number for his crush is to be respected deeply.

Unless said man is calling for your sister.

Then he is to be interrogated.

"So, wait," Nicholas Lucas the II raised a brown eyebrow. "_who _are you?"

"It's Scott Douglas, from Ellie's school," the exasperated voice on the other end of the phone said. "You know me, dude, I'm on your soccer team,"

"Really, I do?" Nicholas said sarcastically. "I don't believe I remember you,"

"Just put me on the—"

"Bye." Nick hung up, laughing.

"Nick," Ellie half-ran, half-stumbled down the polished wood stairs. "Who was that?"

Nick II noticed the angry flash in her eyes and decided to play dumb(a defense tactic for most men/teenage boys). "Er, I dunno. Telemarketer," He blinked stupidly and pulled his wool hat further over his curls.

"Really?" Ellie deadpanned. "You _sure?"_

"Um, yes," Nick widened his eyes, looking scandalized. "Why would I lie?"

"That's funny," Ellie said in a scarily calm voice. "Because—" Ellie pulled her Sidekick out of her pocket—"Scott _just _texted me and asked if I'd like to go to the movies with him."

"Uhh—"

"And then," Ellie raised her eyebrows, sitting down next to him, eyes still on the phone. "I texted him back asking why he didn't just call the house, and guess what?"

Nicholas swallowed thickly. "What?"

"He said he did, but my _brother _hung up on him," Ellie tapped her chin with her pointer finger. She slid the screen down slowly and placed it in the center of the table.

"Uhm..that's strange," Nick nodded, sinking further into his seat.

"It _is, _it is," Ellie sucked in her breath. "Now, I wonder…if he didn't _just call a mere two minutes ago, _who do you suppose hung up on him?"

"I don't—"

"WHO DO YOU SUPPOSE HUNG UP ON HIM?!" Ellie screamed, standing up.

Sheepishly, Nicholas raised a hand.

***

"Mom, can't you see?" Ellie whined, stomping her foot. "He's just so obsessed with making my life _miserable _that he's resorted to ruining my chances with guys, too!"

"Yes, Ellie, that must be it," Nicholas snorted, folding his arms. "Because I have no life."

Ellie turned around slowly and glared at him. "You don't," she seethed through her teeth. A lock of hair fell in front of her eyes and she swiped it away quickly. "Moooooom, see?"

Macy sighed. "Nicholas, apologize,"

"WHAT?" Nick II cried, slapping his hand against the wall. "Mom—"

"You heard her," Ellie said with a smug look on her face. "Apologize,"

"You guys are too old to be having these kinds of arguments," Macy put her head on her desk and thumped it a few times.

"Dad wouldn't make me apologize," Nicholas raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, but he's not here right now," Ellie answered for her mother. "I'm still waiting for an apology,"

"I'm going gray," Macy gasped, staring at a piece of hair she had plucked from her scalp in stress.

"I wonder why," Nicholas deadpanned, staring directly at Ellie with a smirk on his face.

"I wonder why you're considered human," Ellie shot back.

"_Eleanor."_

"Sorry, Mom," Ellie said dismissively. "Anyway, I have somewhere to go, so if you don't mind—"

"No, no, no..." Macy shook her head. "Tell me where you're going first."

"To Alanah's house?" Ellie shrugged. "No biggie,"

"Isn't Alanah that girl that streaked the football field last yea—OW!"

Ellie dug the heel of her Kate Spade woven espadrille further into the toe of Nicholas's Converse sneaker and glared.

Nicholas lifted his sister's tanned leg and plunked it to the side. Ahhh….his toes were free from her evil clutches.

Ellie shot him one more scowl, and then turned to her mother, smoothing down her off white bubble skirt. "Mom, Alanah's become _way _more responsible,"

"Ha, right, sure." Nick II blurted, then bit his lip.

"And even if she wasn't, she's not rubbing off on me or anything," Ellie glanced down at her completely flat-looking navy keyhole halter just to prove a point. _See, mom? No boobs._

Nicholas batted at his sister's swinging high ponytail, trying to entertain himself. Ellie brought her leg back and kicked him in the shin.

"Stop it," she said through her teeth.

"Hey, isn't she having a party?" Nicholas said quickly, then hobbled away on one foot to avoid further pain. "Isn't that Scott guy invited?"

"Shut _up_," Ellie murmured.

"So that's why you're dressed like that," Macy raised an eyebrow.

Ellie let her mouth hang open. "Of course _not_! Why, why, _why _would you _think _such a thing? This—" she twirled—"is strictly in the name of _fashion_."

"Oh, wait!" Nicholas gasped. "Is _she _the one everyone said I got pregnant?"

"WHAT?" Macy half-laughed.

"NO!" Ellie blurted. "That was Julianne! I mean—"

"I know, I thought it was ridiculous, too," Nicholas said to his laughing mother.

"EVERYBODY SHUT UP!" Ellie screamed, pounding the wall. "SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT _UP_!"

Macy and Nicholas stopped immediately at they looked at Ellie, who was gasp-breathing.

"I am so frickin' _sick_—" Ellie stormed over to her brother. "of you ruining _everything _for me."

Nicholas opened his mouth to speak, but he was cut off.

"I'm going up to my room."

***

Nicholas had been counting.

It had been about a half hour since Ellie stormed out of the room all angry-like.

It had been twenty five minutes since Nicholas first started feeling guilty.

It had been three minutes since he opened the door…and found Ellie gone.


End file.
